Case study:
Queen's University
Enhancing Accessibility, Sustainability, and Student Success with Audiovisual Technology at Queen's University
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Overview
In 2023, Queen’s University embarked on a major initiative to modernize its lecture hall technology, transitioning from traditional projectors to advanced video walls. This upgrade aimed to enhance accessibility, sustainability, and the overall experience for staff and students. The project, executed in collaboration with audiovisual integration company Matrix Video Communications Corp., spanned multiple auditoriums and involved cutting-edge audiovisual solutions.
The Challenge
The university faced several challenges with its existing projector-based system, including:
Student Engagement: Outdated technology hindered the students’ experience and ability to participate.
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Limited Lifespan: Projectors required renewal every five years, increasing costs and waste.
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Accessibility Issues: Dimming lights for projector visibility created difficulties for visually impaired students.
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High Downtime Risks: A projector failure meant a complete room shutdown, disrupting classes.
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Environmental Concerns: Some projectors contained hazardous materials, leading to recycling and sustainability challenges.
Steve Alexander, Digital Classrooms Manager at Queen’s University, describes what prompted the university’s switch to video walls: “Previously, we built a new lecture hall that did not allow for the installation of a projector due to structural issues. So, we installed a video wall in that room. We did a tour with the Provost after the room was complete, and their comment was ‘why don't all the auditoriums look like this?’ … It was mostly on that window of accessibility, on not having to dim the lights, because normally, if you wanted to present in a lecture hall, the lights had to be black because the projector was throwing from [the] back. And so that made the room very inaccessible for anybody with any sort of vision issues.”
The Solution
The university partnered with Matrix Video Communications Corp., an eight-year Vendor of Record for Queen’s University, to implement a comprehensive upgrade across six auditoriums:
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Installed Video Walls and Advanced AV Systems: MVCC replaced the projectors in five rooms with video walls and an upgraded complete AV system.
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Extended Lifespan: The refresh cycle increased from 5 years to 7-10 years of 18 hours/day operation, with manufacturers projecting 20 years of usability.
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Improved Accessibility:
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The 9' x 16' video walls present large, bright, and high-resolution visuals without dimming the lights, enhancing visibility and compliance with AODA standards.
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Sony Edge Writing Analytics plus a 4K document camera allows for clear writing projection onto the video wall.
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Assistive listening systems enable direct audio streaming to students' personal phones.
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Height-adjustable podiums ranging from 32”-72” meet AODA standards.
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Lecture Capture via Sony Edge is available in each room, allowing for students and faculty to access classes and content remotely.
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Reduced Power Consumption: New technology lowered energy use, contributing to sustainability goals.Wireless Presentation
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Backup Systems: In-room PCs were added to each podium to prevent disruptions when personal devices fail.
According to Steve Alexander, Matrix has played a role in introducing the university to new technology and trends in the industry: “The team at Matrix has always been great at sending us new products that they hear about before we do and taking us to trade shows and events. I appreciate the relationships that Dave's helped us build with many suppliers. For example, Sony - we use a lot of Sony products on campus. It's our standard for projectors and displays, and that's through the relationship Matrix has helped us build.”
Implementation Process
The project followed a structured rollout:
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Summer Installation Plan: MVCC teams worked on one room every 7-10 days, liaising with other contractors to minimize disruptions. Using a rinse- and-repeat process, Matrix technicians split into two teams to complete the installation.
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Efficient Project Management:
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One team handled equipment removal and setup, while another worked on installation and programming.
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Close collaboration with event services ensured lecture halls were available as soon as possible due to the high demand for these spaces.
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Addressing Supply Chain Issues: Some delays occurred due to equipment shortages, but proper planning by the Matrix team and key suppliers ensured continuity.
Steve Alexander describes his experience working with Matrix, the only supplier to have renewed their Vendor of Record agreement with Queen’s University multiple, consecutive times: “We have a great working relationship with everybody at Matrix. I find it easy to engage with everyone in the organization that I've dealt with. The technicians that [Matrix] sends are always easy to engage with. They work well. Dave [the university’s Account Manager] is easy to work with, and Sue [who handles the administrative side] is wonderful as well. Rob [the COO] has been easy to deal with, and Brian [Lead Technician] makes me laugh… Owen [Sr. Programmer] is insane because he sat on a scaffolding for 4.5 hours to make sure a video wall was level! [Laughs] Pricing's always been good. The team has always been supportive of changes that we want or things that we want to do… I have nothing but praise for Matrix.”
Left: Dave Schultz (MVCC Account Manager)
Right: Steve Alexander (Manager, Digital Classrooms at Queen's University)
Results & Impact
The upgrade delivered significant improvements:
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90%+ Lecture Hall Utilization: The new system ensures minimal downtime.
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Enhanced Student & Faculty Experience:
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Faculty appreciate wireless presentation capabilities.
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Students benefit from higher-quality visuals and improved accessibility, increasing engagement.
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Positive Feedback:
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The only complaint: Video walls were too bright for students in the front rows, prompting adjustments to below 50% brightness.
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Cost Savings & Sustainability:
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Longer refresh cycle reduced waste and long-term costs.
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Reduced hazardous waste and improved power savings aligns with the university’s sustainability goals.
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Steve Alexander describes the feedback the new technology has received from students and faculty: “The feedback has been phenomenal from the students. The only complaint we've ever had is that the wall is too bright. We are actually running them at below 50% brightness now, because if somebody shows an all-white slide, it's really bright. So, the first row of students gets get a nice tan. And so, we've dimmed everything down to just below 50%, which also significantly reduces power consumption. For brighter rooms that have windows in them, we've left the brightness up… We've received lots of great feedback from faculty. The only time we've had one faculty member complain that they could not use their laser pointer because light emitting diodes absorb laser pointers. But even that spurred some innovation: We found the Logitech laser pointer, which is just basically a Bluetooth mouse. It works. We've handed out 4 or 5 of those and everybody seems happy that way.”
Future Plans
Queen’s University plans to continue advancing its AV infrastructure:
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Expanding Active Learning Classrooms: Currently at 24, with more in development.
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Exploring Hybrid Learning Opportunities: While the university prioritizes in-person learning, hybrid models may be considered.
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Enhanced Assistive Technology: Implementing personal phone- connected assistive listening to improve accessibility in a more discreet way for users.
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Potential Construction of Additional Lecture Halls with Video Walls: Due to increasing demand.
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Standardizing Systems that Work: Including the Sony Edge system that allows faculty members to write during lessons and superimpose it on the videowall for students to see.
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AV Over IP Considerations: Evaluating whether network-based AV distribution suits future needs.
Steve Alexander shares what he sees for the future of video walls: “I do see video walls going to a smaller pixel scale, prices going down, and increase in resolution. The image quality is just so much better than a projector. The room that we just issued the PO for Matrix to do the video wall in is used for medical rounds, along with being a large lecture hall. So, putting a video wall in there and getting the video quality for an image of, say, a wound or a surgery procedure, I think that will be better received as a teaching opportunity”
Conclusion
This case study highlights how Queen’s University successfully modernized its lecture hall technology, improving engagement and accessibility, reducing long term costs, and enhancing the student experience. Matrix Video Communications Corp. played a pivotal role in executing this transformation, ensuring a seamless transition to state-of-the-art audiovisual solutions. The collaboration serves as a model for other institutions looking to future-proof their educational spaces.
Interested in upgrading your institution’s AV technology? Contact Matrix Video Communications Corp. to explore tailored audiovisual integration strategies for your organization.
With 30 years of industry experience and thousands of successful projects, Matrix Video Communications Corp. provides consultation and design as well as installation, programming, training, and everything in between to deliver high-quality, scalable audiovisual solutions tailored to your needs.
